Anti-apoptotic function and mechanism of ginseng s...
Fang Chena，b Yuewen Chena，b Xincong Kangb Zhiguang Zhoud Zhixu Zhangb，c Dongbo Liu*，a，b，c
a.Horticulture and Landscape College，Hunan Agricultural University；Changsha 410128，China；
b.State Key Laboratory of Sub-health Intervention Technology，State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine；Changsha 410128，China；
c.Key Laboratory for Crop Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Hunan Province；Changsha 410128，China；(https://www.daowen.com)
d.Diabetes Centre(Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology)，Central South University；Changsha 410011，China.
Abstract：Apoptosis is the main form ofβ-cell death in diabetes.Ginseng has been used as an anti-diabetic herb for several thousand years in Asia with ginsenoside Rg1 and ginsenoside Rb1 as important active ingredients.In this study，we demonstrated ginsenoside Rg1 and Rb1 protectβ-cells from high glucose/cytokine-induced pancreaticβ-cell apoptosis via inhibiting nitric oxide(NO)production and regulating apoptosis-related genes.Among these genes，Bax，Fas and Caspase-3 gene expressions were up-regulated by high glucose，whereas only Bax and Caspase-3 gene expression were elevated by cytokines.In these two stimuli-induced apoptotic cells，Rg1 down-regulated Fas gene expression，while Rb1 decreased Caspase-3 gene expression.As a conclusion，Fas signal pathway and mitochondria stress is mostly related to anti-diabetes function of ginsenoside Rg1，while Caspase-3 pathway is essential when Rb1 is present.
Keywords：apoptosis，ginsenoside，high glucose，cytokine，diabetes